You can now pay more to still see ads on X

That’s one way to spin not selling ads!

8/8/24 2:00PM

When Elon Musk originally announced his $8 paid blue check accounts, Twitter Blue, shortly after buying the social media company now called X in late 2022, one of the big selling points was that those users would see half as much advertising.

Of course, like many things Elon Musk has said, that wasn’t really true, because it only applied to “for you” and “following” timelines. When Blue subscribers went to other spots on the site and in the app, they still saw the same number of ads.

Now, though, Musk is hawking a $14 Premium+ tier that’s “fully ad-free.” The X post announcing the feature says “no more ads, anywhere on X” — but guess what? Even that’s not 100% true. If you go to sign up for Premium+, you’ll see that X itself says people with that subscription will still see "occasional branded content in less common areas.”

no more ads, anywhere on X

Premium+ is now *fully* ad free

sign up via https://t.co/TJn5WfMiAP
— X (@X) August 8, 2024

And of course, if you’re really reading between the lines, you might note that not showing users ads might have something to do with companies not wanting to advertise on the site in the first place. Musk is currently suing an advertising coalition for boycotting the site.

Skydance Officially Closes Deal To Merge With Paramount

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Holiday cheer turned into chaos this week for Starbucks after the coffee giant’s new “Bearista” holiday cup sent fans into a frenzy.

Dropped alongside its 2025 holiday menu, the $30 beanie-wearing glass bear tumbler sparked long lines, sellouts, and even in-store scuffles before Starbucks stepped in with an apology.

“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” the company said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to our coffeehouses than almost any other item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”

Within hours of launch, frustrated fans flooded Starbucks’ social media pages and even store hotlines. Some customers waited in line before dawn and others said their stores received only a handful of cups. In one Houston location, the craze even turned physical, with police reportedly called to break up a brawl. Meanwhile, the cup is already reselling on sites like eBay, with listings topping $600.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” Starbucks said. While in-store customers may be upset, investors seem happy about the viral hit, as the stock has risen over 3% on Friday.

If you’re still hoping for a Bearista at market price, that may not be on order: the chain didn’t disclose how many cups were made or whether a restock is planned.

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Target tells workers to smile, wave, and greet shoppers if they come within 10 feet of them

Target just rolled out a new rule for store employees: “smile, make eye contact, and greet or wave” when a shopper comes within 10 feet — and if they get closer, within four feet, “ask whether they need help or how their day is going,” according to a new Bloomberg report.

Dubbed the “10-4 program” internally, the rule mirrors rival Walmart’s own 10-foot policy, formalizing behavior Target had previously only encouraged.